Meeting Again

"He became an expert, so naturally my grandfather favored him. A few years later, he married my younger aunt."

"Up to that point, everything could have been called wonderful. The Zhao Family could be said to have heirs to carry on its legacy.

However, his true nature was exposed.

Less than half a year after Zhao Tianyang married, my grandfather fell ill and died.

At the time, everyone thought Grandfather had died of an incurable disease. After all, he had fathered a son late in life; in his old age, it was only natural for him to be plagued by illnesses. No one suspected Zhao Tianyang.

It was only later that my aunt learned the truth: he had joined forces with another rejected candidate and poisoned my grandfather to death with poison refined by an Immortal Master.

Since the poison had come from an Immortal Master, mortal physicians could not detect it and merely treated it as a terminal illness.

Less than a year after my grandfather died, my father was ambushed and killed by bandits while traveling to purchase goods.

Then Zhao Tianyang naturally took control of every business belonging to the Zhao Family.

With his vicious nature, he would certainly pull up the weeds by the roots. My aunt and I would also have died suddenly or in some accident afterward.

But before he could act,

my aunt inadvertently discovered the truth in the letters exchanged between Zhao Tianyang and the man who had joined him in murdering my grandfather.

My aunt could not believe that the grandfather who had fed him full meals, taken him in as an adopted son, and treated him as his own had been poisoned to death by that beast's own hand. My father had likewise fallen victim to him.

Before going to confront that beast, my aunt told me the truth. She told me to flee with those letters, while she bought time for me."

As he recalled those events, the youth's entire body trembled. With shaking hands, he took out the letters and handed them to Bai Jing.

Bai Jing accepted them and looked them over. He knew these were the evidence of Zhao Tianyang's crimes.

The youth continued, "A few days after I fled, I heard that my aunt had died a miserable death. Her only blood relative was also killed by his own hand."

"All these years, I tried reporting him to the authorities. I even begged my grandfather's old friends for help. But when a man leaves, the tea turns cold—that was simply how it was. Added to that, Zhao Tianyang's strength and reputation were right there for all to see. No one dared interfere."

"I thought there would be no hope of avenging myself in this life. I never expected Shangqing Mountain to come to Yunzhou to recruit disciples again, giving me the chance to finally wash away this hatred."

His eyes reddened as he gazed at Bai Jing, his face full of hope.

"Immortal Master, please take action!" With that, the youth dropped to his knees and heavily knocked his head against the ground several times.

"There is no need for this. I came here precisely to weed out such scum; it is also part of my sect's mission." Bai Jing helped him up and added,

"Do you have a portrait of him?"

"Yes!" The youth took out a scroll painting.

"Wait here." Bai Jing put away the painting and gave the instruction.

"Immortal Master, could you perhaps—"

"No!" He saw through the youth's thoughts and directly shook his head. "Zhao Tianyang cultivates Shangqing Mountain's supreme arts. I can proceed more smoothly alone. If I bring you, I will not be able to fight without restraint."

"All right." The Zhao youth nodded with a bitter smile.

Bai Jing looked at him, pondered for a moment, then said, "I will bring you his head. You can take it to pay respects to your clansmen."

"Remember, do not leave this inn. I will return shortly."

After one final warning, Bai Jing left the inn.

"Congratulations, Brother Zhao! Congratulations!"

"Brother Zhao, your daughter's wedding is truly a grand affair."

"Not at all, not at all. Please, come inside!"

Zhao Tianyang's face was ruddy as he welcomed the passing guests with a broad smile.

He was lean and refined in bearing, nothing like a martial artist.

Yet he was the most formidable figure in all of Nanqiu City, without equal.

"YI'er's distinguished guest has arrived." At that moment, a beautiful middle-aged woman approached and whispered into his ear.

Zhao Tianyang's expression shifted slightly upon hearing this, but his smile only grew wider.

"Come, accompany me to pay him a visit!" he immediately said.

"Is that distinguished guest a prince? Do you need to personally go pay your respects?" the woman asked curiously.

"What do you know?" Zhao Tianyang lightly rebuked her, though inwardly he was delighted.

His son's childhood friend had secured a place as a Shangqing Mountain disciple, and now a genius was staying as a guest in his residence. This was a perfect opportunity to form ties with an Immortal Master of that caliber.

Others did not know, but he had participated in the assessment. He naturally understood just how much weight Shangqing Mountain's geniuses carried. Not to mention a prince—even the old emperor would have to come fawn over them if he heard of it.

As long as he could forge connections with disciples guaranteed to enter Shangqing Mountain, the Zhao Family would have a tremendous chance to rise!

Not long after the couple left, an exceptionally handsome youth approached the main gate.

"Please wait, young master. Kindly present your invitation!" The steward receiving guests at the Zhao Residence had originally intended to shout at him, but seeing that he seemed somewhat extraordinary, he softened his tone.

"Hello." Bai Jing clasped the steward's hand and said, "I have come from afar and happened to pass through here. Seeing that there is a joyous occasion, I came especially to ask for a cup of wedding wine and share in the newlyweds' good fortune."

"A guest who comes from afar is still a guest. Since you have come to ask for a cup of wine, how could this old man stop you? Young master, please enter!"

The steward made a welcoming gesture with his right hand while naturally slipping a gold ingot into his sleeve with his left.

Bai Jing nodded and entered the residence.

The estate was exceedingly lively, adorned with lanterns and colorful decorations. Guests from every direction freely feasted on food and wine.

"Hm?" Bai Jing surveyed the scene, only to discover a distinguished middle-aged man sitting at one of the banquet tables. The man was unfamiliar and was not Zhao Tianyang.

"This man has a rosy complexion and an air of one removed from worldly affairs. He seems somewhat like a Qi and Blood cultivator, and he must have passed the Five Organs stage." Bai Jing's brows knitted slightly.

Unfortunately, without a prying eye technique, Bai Jing could not determine the man's exact cultivation.

"Could it be..." He lowered his head, his brow furrowing even deeper.

The letters proving Zhao Tianyang's crimes were on him. He had a suspicion that this man might be Zhao Tianyang's accomplice!

"If that is true, I may have to face two Seventh Stage of Qi and Blood cultivators."

Bai Jing thought to himself, somewhat hesitant.

But then,

he looked at the bustling scene. Today was a rare opportunity.

He could take advantage of the wedding banquet to set up his Star Array without anyone noticing.

A moment later, Bai Jing made his decision.

At an inn somewhere in the city, the Zhao youth paced back and forth, somewhat nervous. Then his gaze hardened, and he muttered, "The enemy who exterminated my family is about to face destruction. How can I not go see it for myself? I must see that beast's terror and panic in the face of death; only then will the hatred in my heart be relieved."

Inside the Zhao Residence.

"Immortal Master, this way, please!"

At one side of the estate, Zhao Tianyang personally led Chen Ping out from the reception hall.

"My daughter is getting married today, and since the Immortal Master happens to be here, we can invite you to offer words of blessing for her. It would also be a blessing for the newlyweds."

He spoke with a fawning smile.

Though Chen Ping remained expressionless, he was pleased by the words and did not reject the suggestion.

"Since you have treated me with such courtesy, let this be my thanks." he said coldly.

Hearing Chen Ping's words, Zhao Tianyang was even more delighted.

"Where is YI'er?" he suddenly asked his wife at his side in a low voice.

"I don't know. A servant hurriedly said a few words to him, and then he left." The woman shook her head.

"Alas."

Zhao Tianyang sighed inwardly. This son of his truly did not know what mattered.

Before long, the three arrived at the main hall.

Chen Ping was just about to go onstage to offer his blessing when he abruptly stopped midway and let out a surprised sound. "Eh?"

His gaze fell upon a banquet table in the garden, where a youth sat upright.

"Immortal Master, did something happen?" Zhao Tianyang noticed the change in his expression and could not help asking.

"I saw a fellow disciple," Chen Ping answered truthfully.

"A fellow disciple?" Zhao Tianyang's expression first changed, then he was overjoyed.

Could fortune truly be arriving at his door? A single daughter's wedding had actually drawn two Immortal Masters here.

Before he could speak, Chen Ping had already walked over.

"Steward Zhao, why did you let that youth enter?"

After Chen Ping left, Zhao Tianyang had someone summon the steward and questioned him.

Steward Zhao's expression changed slightly. He did not dare reveal the truth and only said, "That young master wished to ask for a cup of wedding wine. Seeing that he was extraordinary, I agreed."

Zhao Tianyang smiled approvingly upon hearing this.

"Good, you did very well!"

The steward was frightened and did not understand why, so he could only nod.

Before the banquet table in the garden.

"Fellow Daoist Bai!" Chen Ping came to Bai Jing's side and spoke.

"Why are you here?"

There was actually no need to ask. He had already vaguely guessed the reason.

"You know my purpose, and I know yours." Bai Jing glanced faintly at the extraordinary middle-aged man he had spotted earlier and replied.

"This is the wedding banquet for two newlyweds. Killing is inappropriate," Chen Ping said.

Seeing that Bai Jing remained unmoved, he added, "This is the home of Zhang Yunhai's childhood friend. The two share an exceptionally deep bond."

"I don't know him. Never heard of him."

"..." Chen Ping.

He could only continue explaining, "Zhang Yunhai is a Violet Cauldron Genius!"

Yet Bai Jing pointed to the sky and said, "Do you know the Star Array?"

Chen Ping froze slightly, not understanding what he meant. But when he looked up into the distance, a horrified expression immediately appeared on his face.

Gales rose one after another.

At that moment, thick blue pillars of light rose into the sky all around the Zhao Residence. Blue radiance shone over the earth, turning the entire festive, red-lit residence blue.

"What is happening?"

"What happened?"

The guests inside the residence had no idea what was going on, and cries of alarm broke out everywhere.

Boom!

Thunderous sounds suddenly erupted one after another. Someone looked up, only to see massive meteors drawing nearer and nearer.

It was as though the entire starry sky were about to fall.

Everyone's hearts trembled, as though they stood before hell itself.

"Zhao Tianyang!"

A sharp cry rang throughout the residence, drawing every panicked guest's attention away from the changes around them and onto the youth.

At that moment, a deadly sense of danger rose within Zhao Tianyang, like an alarm bell tolling. Even his body trembled.

"Do you recognize these?" The youth raised letter after letter in his hand and shouted again.

When Zhao Tianyang saw the familiar letters, his expression changed drastically.

"What are they?" one guest asked, mustering his courage.

"..." Bai Jing.

Looking at the panicked guests, his brow tightened.

Bang!

Bai Jing snapped his fingers. Immediately, a gale swept up and blew every guest out of the residence.

The extraordinary middle-aged man had intended to ride the gale away, but Chen Ping blocked his path, causing his expression to change.

In an instant, only four people remained.

Bai Jing, Chen Ping, Zhao Tianyang, and the middle-aged man.

The four faced each other in pairs.

"This Immortal Master..." Zhao Tianyang said in a trembling voice. "Are you truly going to become my enemy for the sake of several people who have been dead for years? My son's friend is one of you as well."

But Bai Jing gave a disdainful smile and said, "You once participated in the assessment, yet you do not know what its final trial was?"

Before the other man could ask, he continued, "The final trial was to purge scum like you who were rejected!"

At those words, Zhao Tianyang lost all color, his face turning deathly pale.

Shangqing Mountain was actually going to destroy them!

"What a Shangqing Mountain!" Zhao Tianyang's face twisted savagely. "They would not let me enter the mountain, and now they want to kill us all. Everything I did was for cultivation. Do they not even allow that?"

"Why waste so many words on you?" Bai Jing shook his head and immediately shouted, "Fall!"

At once, enormous celestial bodies descended abruptly, carrying vast, crushing pressure.

That terrifying aura had clearly reached the Nine Gates of Qi and Blood!

The Star Array was terrifying indeed!

"Ah!" Zhao Tianyang roared as all the Qi and Blood in his body erupted. His aura had actually reached the peak of the Seventh Stage of Qi and Blood. He was only a sliver away from entering the eighth stage.

Yet before those terrifying celestial bodies, he was like a faint glimmer.

Fear of death and unwillingness appeared in Zhao Tianyang's eyes.

He had thought that two Immortal Masters arriving at his door was a heavenly blessing. He had never imagined it was a heavenly calamity—his day of death!

Today, the joyous occasion at his Zhao Residence would become a funeral!

Just as Zhao Tianyang resigned himself to his fate, the celestial bodies suddenly halted, giving him hope of survival.

Yet in the next instant, a crimson arrow pierced through his neck.

Zhao Tianyang died!

"I promised that youth. How could I break my word?" Bai Jing shook his head as he watched Zhao Tianyang collapse.

This Star Array was both insurance and meant to frighten the enemy. He feared the other side would be left without an intact corpse, so in the end, he still had to use his supreme art.

"These first-rank missions truly are dangerous. The opponent had reached the peak of the seventh stage. If my cultivation had not reached the eighth stage, and if I did not have the great array as insurance, it would likely have been difficult to take him down quickly."

Bai Jing muttered to himself.

Yet Chen Ping had gone numb upon hearing this.

The other man had slain someone at the seventh gate's completion in mere moments, yet he was lamenting how dangerous it had been. So who exactly had been in danger—you, or him?

"Farewell, Fellow Daoist Chen!"

Bai Jing severed Zhao Tianyang's head, searched the corpse for a moment, then left.

Chen Ping watched the scene, not knowing what to say.

Fine. The other party had already made his move, and done so cleanly and decisively. He was surely aiming for a Grade A Rating, so Chen Ping naturally could not fall behind.

Bai Jing took out an Array Flag, left Zhao Residence, and hurried back toward the inn with the enormous head in hand.

"No one?" Upon arriving at the inn room and failing to find the youth, his expression changed slightly.

A short while later, Bai Jing found the youth's corpse in the corner of a nearby street.

"He's dead. Who am I supposed to get to sign for me? How am I supposed to obtain a Grade A Rating?" A trace of killing intent appeared in Bai Jing's calm eyes.

"The one who killed him must have been from Zhao Residence."

He made his judgment in an instant, carrying the dripping head as he rushed back to Zhao Residence.

Before long, Bai Jing returned to Zhao Residence.

At that moment, waves of miserable wailing rose from within. The battle had long since ended.

He entered the estate and saw Zhao Tianyang's headless corpse surrounded by a crowd, every face filled with grief.

Bang!

Bai Jing tossed the head over, startling everyone badly.

Chen Ping had not left. When he saw Bai Jing, he frowned slightly and said, "Why have you returned? Don't tell me you intend to wipe them out root and branch? That goes against the original purpose of Shangqing Mountain's mission. You should know that yourself."

Yet Bai Jing ignored him and looked toward the Zhao Family members.

"Hmm?" He spotted a youth whose eyes were filled with venomous hatred.

He did not seem to have seen this person earlier.

"He has cultivation!" Bai Jing carefully examined the youth and reached his conclusion.

Well, didn't that solve the problem?

Then he advanced straight toward Zhao Yi.

Seeing his menacing approach, Zhao Yi staggered backward, already understanding everything in his heart.

"Fellow Daoist Bai, what are you doing?" Chen Ping blocked Bai Jing's path. Yet wary of Bai Jing's methods, his entire body was tense, his expression grave.

"He killed my employer and may have cost me my Grade A Rating. What do you think I'm doing?"

Bai Jing stared at Chen Ping, his expression cold as frost.

Chen Ping's expression changed, but recalling something, he could only say:

"Could this matter end here? This man grew up with Zhang Yunhai, and their bond is extremely deep. If you kill him, you will become Yun Hai's enemy, and that would be detrimental to you."

Bai Jing frowned slightly. "So my Grade A Rating is just supposed to be written off like this?"

Seeing his expression, Chen Ping felt there might be hope. He said:

"Trading a Grade A Rating for the enmity of a Violet Cauldron Genius is not worth it, Brother Bai. If you trust me, once this matter is settled, I can have Brother Yun Hai personally give you an explanation."

Bai Jing lowered his head and pondered for a moment. "It had better be so!"

Then he glared viciously at Zhao Yi. "The next time we meet, I will take your life!"

Even though Zhao Yi had cultivation, he was now silent as a cicada in winter, not daring to make the slightest move. He could only nod and agree.

After that, Bai Jing turned around.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, Bai Jing turned back again, looked at Zhao Yi, and said:

"Hi! We meet again!"

Everyone was speechless.

This guy was a living King Yama.

"Brother Bai!" Chen Ping was just about to stop him.

But Bai Jing assumed the posture of drawing a bow and nocking an arrow.

A crimson arrow suddenly condensed, shooting straight toward Zhao Yi.

Too late, too late. I'm truly sorry.